Virginia Tech student Kiersten Hening was thrust into the national highlight in March 2021 when she sued her college soccer coach, Charles “Chugger” Adair, for retaliating against her after she refused to kneel with teammates in support of Black Lives Matter. Nearly two years later, she’s emerged victorious. Hening and Adair agreed to a settlement, and the 22-year-old was awarded $100,000 for the violation of her First Amendment rights. Hening told The Post’s RIKKI SCHLOTT her story — and divulges what’s next for her.
In the autumn of 2020, I used to be living my dream of being a Division One soccer player — but all the pieces got here tumbling down after I stood up for what I believed in and refused to kneel with my teammates in support of Black Lives Matter.
I’ve been playing soccer since I used to be 3 years old. It’s all I’ve ever known, and I at all times desired to play for Virginia Tech. My parents went there and I grew up going to the varsity’s football games, so it really was a dream come true after I began playing on the soccer team in 2018.
My first two seasons were great. Playing soccer provided me with structure and discipline, and I loved my teammates. We had a extremely special bond and practically became sisters.
But within the 2020 season, all the pieces modified.
Within the wake of George Floyd’s murder and protests across the country, a few of my fellow players began advocating for wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and armbands during warmups. There was even talk of replacing the team name on our uniforms with the names of victims of police violence.
Unexpectedly, the locker room became this really uncomfortable, toxic environment where some players desired to force their activism on your complete team.
After all I think in black lives mattering, and I believe our country has loads of work to do — but I don’t support the organization Black Lives Matter. I did my research, and I take exception to elements of their mission, like dismantling the family unit and defunding the police.
Every little thing got here to a fever pitch in a September game against the University of Virginia. That’s when the team representatives decided we’d kneel while a unity statement about Black Lives Matter was read before the sport. But the remainder of us weren’t shown the statement ahead of time.
I went into the sport knowing that I wasn’t going to kneel in support of something I didn’t even get to read. Standing up — literally — for what I think in is just who I’m. I used to be raised by a family that taught me to stay by my principles, regardless of the fee.
When the moment got here, I actually wasn’t nervous about standing. I used to be set in my ways from the get-go. It felt like just just a few seconds, and when it was over, I assumed the entire situation was behind me.
But things immediately began to unravel. During our halftime huddle, our head coach laid into me. He berated me, stuck a finger in my face, and screamed in a way I’d never seen before. He even accused me of “bitching and moaning” by “doing my very own thing.”
And that was just the beginning of the targeting. In a post-game meeting, he began blaming me for goals the opposite team scored, even once they were clearly not my fault. I used to be taken out of the starting lineup. I went from playing probably the most minutes of anyone on the team to spending most of my time on the bench.
[Adair, who is still head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies women soccer team, did not return The Post’s request for comment.]
Socially, I used to be cancelled and ostracized. While just a few teammates stuck by my side, many turned against me. People were so quick to guage and call me names, even after they’d been my friend and teammate for 3 years.
When my fellow players and my coach turned against me, I made a decision enough was enough and left the team. I missed out on three seasons of playing the game that I really like — all for simply standing on a field.
As Division One athletes, we’re given an exquisite platform that permits us to talk out for what we consider in. But pressuring players to adapt to a narrative they’re uncomfortable with is incorrect.
Because I used to be so clearly retaliated against, bringing my coach to court was just a no brainer. I knew my First Amendment rights were violated, and I had the facts and evidence on my side. Now, having a federal judge side with me and getting a settlement is just so reassuring.
I’m saving my settlement, putting soccer behind me, and turning my attention to nursing school. I graduated from Virginia Tech in 2021 with a level in public health. My ultimate goal is to work with kids in a pediatric emergency department. I’m moving on with my life.
But that is a lot larger than simply me and my story. I’ve had athletes from other schools and folks world wide reach out and tell me the identical thing happened to them — that they’d been put ready of getting to sacrifice a position, a job and even friendships over politics.
I do know that is a problem for thus many individuals, and particularly young people. But my advice is to never sacrifice your morals and principles out of fear of being judged. And if you happen to do lose friends for staying true to yourself, those people weren’t your real friends.
Going against the grain may be difficult emotionally, physically and mentally, but I’d do all of it once more.
I hope my story inspires other people to remain true to what they consider in. If you arise on your principles and don’t conform to the mob mentality, you learn just how many individuals actually agree with you. Courage is contagious.
Virginia Tech student Kiersten Hening was thrust into the national highlight in March 2021 when she sued her college soccer coach, Charles “Chugger” Adair, for retaliating against her after she refused to kneel with teammates in support of Black Lives Matter. Nearly two years later, she’s emerged victorious. Hening and Adair agreed to a settlement, and the 22-year-old was awarded $100,000 for the violation of her First Amendment rights. Hening told The Post’s RIKKI SCHLOTT her story — and divulges what’s next for her.
In the autumn of 2020, I used to be living my dream of being a Division One soccer player — but all the pieces got here tumbling down after I stood up for what I believed in and refused to kneel with my teammates in support of Black Lives Matter.
I’ve been playing soccer since I used to be 3 years old. It’s all I’ve ever known, and I at all times desired to play for Virginia Tech. My parents went there and I grew up going to the varsity’s football games, so it really was a dream come true after I began playing on the soccer team in 2018.
My first two seasons were great. Playing soccer provided me with structure and discipline, and I loved my teammates. We had a extremely special bond and practically became sisters.
But within the 2020 season, all the pieces modified.
Within the wake of George Floyd’s murder and protests across the country, a few of my fellow players began advocating for wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and armbands during warmups. There was even talk of replacing the team name on our uniforms with the names of victims of police violence.
Unexpectedly, the locker room became this really uncomfortable, toxic environment where some players desired to force their activism on your complete team.
After all I think in black lives mattering, and I believe our country has loads of work to do — but I don’t support the organization Black Lives Matter. I did my research, and I take exception to elements of their mission, like dismantling the family unit and defunding the police.
Every little thing got here to a fever pitch in a September game against the University of Virginia. That’s when the team representatives decided we’d kneel while a unity statement about Black Lives Matter was read before the sport. But the remainder of us weren’t shown the statement ahead of time.
I went into the sport knowing that I wasn’t going to kneel in support of something I didn’t even get to read. Standing up — literally — for what I think in is just who I’m. I used to be raised by a family that taught me to stay by my principles, regardless of the fee.
When the moment got here, I actually wasn’t nervous about standing. I used to be set in my ways from the get-go. It felt like just just a few seconds, and when it was over, I assumed the entire situation was behind me.
But things immediately began to unravel. During our halftime huddle, our head coach laid into me. He berated me, stuck a finger in my face, and screamed in a way I’d never seen before. He even accused me of “bitching and moaning” by “doing my very own thing.”
And that was just the beginning of the targeting. In a post-game meeting, he began blaming me for goals the opposite team scored, even once they were clearly not my fault. I used to be taken out of the starting lineup. I went from playing probably the most minutes of anyone on the team to spending most of my time on the bench.
[Adair, who is still head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies women soccer team, did not return The Post’s request for comment.]
Socially, I used to be cancelled and ostracized. While just a few teammates stuck by my side, many turned against me. People were so quick to guage and call me names, even after they’d been my friend and teammate for 3 years.
When my fellow players and my coach turned against me, I made a decision enough was enough and left the team. I missed out on three seasons of playing the game that I really like — all for simply standing on a field.
As Division One athletes, we’re given an exquisite platform that permits us to talk out for what we consider in. But pressuring players to adapt to a narrative they’re uncomfortable with is incorrect.
Because I used to be so clearly retaliated against, bringing my coach to court was just a no brainer. I knew my First Amendment rights were violated, and I had the facts and evidence on my side. Now, having a federal judge side with me and getting a settlement is just so reassuring.
I’m saving my settlement, putting soccer behind me, and turning my attention to nursing school. I graduated from Virginia Tech in 2021 with a level in public health. My ultimate goal is to work with kids in a pediatric emergency department. I’m moving on with my life.
But that is a lot larger than simply me and my story. I’ve had athletes from other schools and folks world wide reach out and tell me the identical thing happened to them — that they’d been put ready of getting to sacrifice a position, a job and even friendships over politics.
I do know that is a problem for thus many individuals, and particularly young people. But my advice is to never sacrifice your morals and principles out of fear of being judged. And if you happen to do lose friends for staying true to yourself, those people weren’t your real friends.
Going against the grain may be difficult emotionally, physically and mentally, but I’d do all of it once more.
I hope my story inspires other people to remain true to what they consider in. If you arise on your principles and don’t conform to the mob mentality, you learn just how many individuals actually agree with you. Courage is contagious.
